


Hornet's Capture

by nagi_oki1211



Category: Hollow Knight/Silksong
Genre: Gen, My First AO3 Post, Nameless OCs - Freeform, Post-Dream No More Ending (Hollow Knight), Pre Silksong Opening Sequence, answer to the question "How the hell do you capture a BAMF like Hornet?", capture fic, i love Hornet but I love catching her even more, nothing naughty so nothing for perverts to see here, prelude to Silksong, self edited and proofread, wrote BEFORE E3 playable demo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 19:16:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20879312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagi_oki1211/pseuds/nagi_oki1211
Summary: After the fall of the Radiance, Hornet agrees to be Cornifer's bodyguard through the wilds of Hallownest. But there's a strange ringing in the air, and it's the only warning they get...





	Hornet's Capture

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this PRE E3 playable demo, so things are not completely in line with canon. But the question of how it all started kept me up at night so I wrote this out to satisfy my incessant brain rantings. Enjoy.

Hornet's Capture

By: Nagi-Oki

Hornet swings through the foliage of Green Path at a hurried pace. She had agreed to be Cornifer's guide/bodyguard as he further explored the depths of Hallownest and mapped it out in greater detail. It wasn't much but it was a good enough for the extra geo she needed. Today she was to meet Cornifer to take him to the entrance to the Fog Canyon to explore.

Unfortunately, Cornifer in his infinite zest for exploration had left the map shop early instead of waiting for her. Iselda was quick to point Hornet in the direction he went, punctuating it with a threat to hunt her down if anything happened to Corny. She thrust her needle forwards, using it to fly faster and further than she could get on her own feet. She only stops when she sees Cornifer lying face down in the middle of a clearing.

Feeling a cold shiver of dread, Hornet immediately leaps to the body. She could see no blood or visible injuries on his back. Carefully, she rolls Cornifer over to inspect his front side. He's completely unharmed, his pulse and breathing are steady. He's even snoring!

Puzzled, Hornet looks over area with a careful eye. Cornifer may not be the most savvy of explorers, but even he knew better than to just... take a nap out in the open like this! The glen is clear, no damage to the brush, no signs of a struggle. Then her eyes come upon the one anomally in the scene. A drag trail, coming from the underbrush leading up to Cornifer. Someone carefully brought the cartographer out in the open, and left him here to be found by...

Hornet immediately grips her needle tight, this is a trap. She scans the surrounding areas, looking for any sign of movement. They couldn't stay here, but Cornifer was a heavy load to carry while conscious. She couldn't take him with her, but leaving him here was out of the question...

** _......jingle......_ **

It's faint, if she hadn't strained her senses, the sound could have been easily swallowed up by the foliage. It is a strange metallic sound, so out of place in such an overgrown and quiet place.

** _......JINgle......_ **

Hornet spins, there was the sound again, but behind her back. She couldn't see where the sound is coming from. But something about this sound is a little different from the first.

** _......jinGLE......_ **

Again! To her right, another similar but different tone. Still, the source is obscured from sight. She tenses, slowly raising up her needle.

** _......JINGLE......_ **

Her left! Hornet spins around, she can't see where the sounds are coming from. From the sounds alone, she can tell there are at least four of them, and they have her surrounded. She pauses giving Cornifer an apologetic look, there was nothing for it. She has to leave him behind.

** _......jingle......JINgle......_ **

She readies her needle to make a fast escape, but the ringing returns.

** _......jinGLE......JINGLE......_ **

This time louder and in greater speed, a rhythmic song that fills the glen like air.

_ **......jingle......JINgle......jinGLE......** _

The rhythm is getting faster, and louder. It feels like every ring of the bells are reverberating through her body.

_ **......JINGLE......jingle......JINgle......** _

Hornet tries to raise her needle for a throw but the ringing and vibrations made her body shake. A strange numbness over takes her arms.

_ **...jinGLE...JINGLE...jingle...** _

She forces herself to focus, but her needle, it seems to grow so heavy. Her arms are drooping, all the feeling and strength leaving her body.

** _...JINgle...jinGLE...JINGLE..._ **

_\-- What's happening to me!? Why can't I move!? I have to focus! --_

Hornet's body shudders as she struggles to maintain control. But her arms droop straight to her sides, her grip on her needle starts to slip.

_ **...jingle...jinGLE...JINgle...JINGLE...** _

_\-- I-I can't think! Why can't I move!? --_

Her body shudders violently as the needle falls from her grip. Hornet doesn't feel her weapon slip away or even hear the sound of it hitting the ground. The ringing of the bells consumes her senses.

_ **...jingle...jinGLE...JINgle...JINGLE...** _

_\-- Why won't they stop!? Why won't the damn bells stop!? --_

Hornet's vision starts to blur as her head lolls, losing more and more control of her body.

_ **..jingle..jinGLE..JINgle..JINGLE..** _

She can barely see, but she can make out some movement in the underbrush. Several figures, including some holding bell staffs enter the glen surrounding her. Before she can question the situation her head droops further.

_ **..jingle..jinGLE..JINgle..JINGLE..** _

"The bells aren't working, why won't she sleep?"

"Her lineage makes her stronger than the likes of these bugs. She's fighting it."

Their words are nonsensical mumblings, Hornet can only understand a word here and there. But her strength is fading, the desire to sleep is strong, but she forces herself to stay standing.

_ **.jingle.jinGLE.JINgle.JINGLE.jingle.jinGLE.JINgle.JINGLE.** _

"How do we transport her if she won't sleep?"

"You don't need her to sleep. The bells will keep her subdued, just don't stop ringing."

_ **jinglejinGLEJINgleJINGLEjinglejinGLEJINgleJINGLE** _

Hornet feels a strange loss of gravity as another bug scoops her up into its arms and carries her away. She is vaguely aware of things going on around her, but it's like she's paralyzed. Her entire body feels numb and her senses are so dulled.

"So we keep ringing the bells, and she won't fight back?"

_ **jinglejinGLEJINgleJINGLEjinglejinGLEJINgleJINGLE** _

_\-- What is happening? Why can't I focus!? --_

The bug opens the door to an ornate and elegant cage. With the greatest of care and respect, it sits her in the cage and locks the door.

_\-- Wait... Is this...? --_

** _jinglejinGLEJINgleJINGLEjinglejinGLEJINgleJINGLE_ **

"Take her away."

_\-- No... NO! I have to get away, I have to escape! I must focus! I must --_

"Remember, keep jingling the bells. It's the only way to keep her tame."

"Yessir..."

** _jinglejinGLEJINgleJINGLEjinglejinGLEJINgleJINGLE_ **

The bugs carry off the cage with their sedate passenger inside, being sure to keep up the constant ringing. Unfortunately for them, it means they can not hear the scraping of Hornet's needle as it drags along not too far behind them...

Continues in SilkSong....


End file.
